Breaking Traditions has become a community effort. It is an art quilt exhibit that helps a fellow artist raise funds for charity. This is the third year that Breaking Traditions is joining forces with someone to bring awareness to a worthy cause.

The 2010 exhibit will benefit Claudine Intner's Art Now for Autism. In honor of Claudine's efforts to raise money for autism research, the theme for 2010 will be "in my words..."

The exhibit features 12"x12" art quilts. Participants for the 2010 show will express the ways in which autism has effected their lives. If you do not personally know anyone who has autism or has been effected by it, you can still participate by making a quilt in support of autism research.

From the Autism Speaks website: "Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person’s lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.”

$10 of the $15 entry fee is donated to Autism Speaks. Not only is this exhibit a way to help raise awareness and much needed research funds, its an excellent way to exhibit your artwork. The exhibit is open call, everyone is encouraged to participate. There are several opportunities to win prizes and your work will travel for a year and appear in a print as well as online catalog.

I hope you’ll join us in making the 2010 exhibit a powerful and exciting show!